Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (November 2009)
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The November 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
It Just Gets Worse
Did You Know? Rice Harvest Timiing
Guided Sakagura Tours
Sake and Pottery Seminar
Sake Professional Courses in Japan
Learn More About Sake through eBooks
Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive
Video: Roland Kelts interviewed by Japan Society (NY) at New York Anime Festival 2009
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, was interviewed by Japan Society of New York at the New York Anime Festival 2009 which was held September 25-27 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Let’s go to the video tape:
Part 1 of the interview:
Part 2 of the interview:
Roland Kelts quoted in Vanity Fair article on “super-cuteness”
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A story just published in the new December issue of VANITY FAIR chronicles the way Japanese kawaii, or super-cuteness, has conquered America: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/12/cuteness-200912
Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, is quoted fairly liberally via an interview with Vanity Fair writer Jim Windolf. Here’s a sample:
“There’s no doubt that cuteness has been a part of the Japanese aesthetic since the postwar years,” says Roland Kelts, the author of the 2006 book Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. “One theory, which has been proposed by a lot of Japanese artists and academics, is that, after the humiliation and emasculation of Japan in the postwar years, Japan developed this quasi-queer position of ‘little brother’ or ‘little boy.’ If you become ‘little brother’ or ‘little boy,’ the only way you can get big brother’s or fat man’s attention is by being so cute or puppy-like that he has to take care of you.”
Roland also recently returned to Japan from a book promotion tour in Korea.
Roland Kelts on Japanese pop music in Daily Yomiuri column
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has another SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS column in The Daily Yomiuri (and also re-printed in 3:AM Magazine) about J-Pop music in America, featuring interviews with Miho Hatori, formerly of Cibo Mato, and Reni-chan, a recent NYC transplant from Tokyo, plus reflections on AKB48.
- Daily Yomiuri SOFT POWER/HARD TRUTHS: Japan’s Music Makers in America
- Link to 3:AM Magazine post of the column: http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/3am-asia-soft-power-hard-truths-japans-music-makers-in-america/
Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: Private Worlds
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a good article out in Adbusters magazine.
Private Worlds: Lives spent lurking too long in the shadows of the virtual
Also, Roland is traveling to Korea soon to do give some talks there. If you’re a JET alum living in Korea and you go, make sure to go up and introduce yourself and invite him out for some sho-chu.
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (October 2009)
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The October 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
The Boyz of Nada
Did You Know? Sake Day
SCHEDULED AND CONFIRMED: Guided Sakagura Tours
NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
Learn More About Sake eBooks
Odds-n-Ends
Additional links:
Sake World Website
More About Us
Archive
Subscribe
Roland Kelts to speak at anime event in St. Louis – Sat, 10/3
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, will be giving a talk in St. Louis tomorrow as part of the Anime at UMSL event featuring renowned translator of anime and manga, Frederik L. Schodt, as well as a screening of the film PAPRIKA. The event is being run by the University of Missouri at St. Louis’ Center for International Studies.
All you Missouri JET alums out there, make sure to introduce yourself and say hi if you happen to attend.
Click here for full details: http://www.umsl.edu/services/cis/special_projects/ANIME_at_UMSL/anime_at_umsl.html
Thanks to a tweet from Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), I just read the news that Yoshito Usui, the creator of Crayon Shinchan, died after falling off of a cliff. Apparently he was taking photos in Nagano and must have slipped.
Here’s the article: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090922a2.html
This is very sad news. I learned Japanese thanks to Crayon Shinchan. No joke. When I went on JET, I subscribed to Manga-Jin, a now defunct magazine that would do line-by-line explanations of manga. It was studying from an issue of Manga-Jin one day that introduced me to Crayon Shinchan.
I was hooked, and I proceeded to buy ever new Crayon Shinchan book I could find. The relatively simple language combined with use of furigana plus the appealingly crude humor that also inadvertently explained a lot of Japanese social dynamics was exactly what I was seeking in those pre-Internet days of JET.
The news of Usui’s death reminded me that I had a sort of fantasy (long since forgotten) where I would track down Usui-san and thank him and let him know how influential he was in my Japanese language study.
Well, that opportunity no longer exists. But if anyone else wants to share any thoughts or memories about their experience with Crayon Shinchan, feel free to post below.
Roland Kelts appearances at upcoming New York Anime Festival starting Sept 25
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The New York Anime Festival has announced its bookings for Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, for this year’s event, which commences at the Javits Center on September 25.
Roland will be on with Yoshiyuki Tomino (GUNDAM creator) on Friday, pop sensations AKB48 Saturday, and Yui Makino (voice of TSUBASA) on Sunday.
Here’s the official announcement: http://www.mediumatlarge.net/2009/09/roland-kelts-comes-to-nyaf.html
Sake World e-Newsletter by John Gauntner (September 2009)
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The September 2009 issue of the Sake World E-mail Newsletter by JET alum and leading sake expert John Gauntner (aka “The Sake Guy”) is now available online. In this issue:
- The Hazards of Nama
- Did You Know? The Toji
- Guided Sakagura Tours
- NEW! Sake Professional Courses in Las Vegas and Japan
- Sake Events
- Learn More About Sake eBooks
- Odds-n-Ends
Roland Kelts reviews “Tears in the Darkness” for BOOKFORUM
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Just found out that Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has a review of “Tears in the Darkness,” a capacious, brilliantly narrated account of the Bataan Death March in World War II, featuring interviews with Japanese, American and Filipino veterans/survivors — in this month’s issue of BOOKFORUM. Inhumanity, with novelistic intimacy…
Read the review here: http://www.bookforum.com/inprint/016_03/4339
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This just in from Feiler, Bruce (Tottori-ken, 1989-90), author of the original JET book Learning to Bow as well as a number of other best sellers such as Walking the Bible, Abraham, and Where God Was Born:
| A Note From Bruce Feiler
On October 6th, my new book America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story arrives in bookstores. It describes a year I traveled through American history, from the pilgrims to the founding fathers, Cecil B. DeMille‘s garage to the Oval Office, looking at Moses’s influence on the American story. You can read more about the book here. I’ve also completely redesigned www.brucefeiler.com. It contains some cool new videos, a list of the cities I’m visiting this fall, a blog, including a new series “This Week in Moses,” and, of course, a way to email me directly. I’ve also set up a Facebook page, and I hope you’ll friend me there. Plus, you can follow me on Twitter. I hope you enjoy the book, and thanks for your continued support. Please let me know what you think. Yours, |
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Roland Kelts column in Daily Yomiuri: Miyazaki, Horibuchi and the virtues of change
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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/arts/20090828TDY13003.htm
Related JetWit Posts:
- Roland Kelts interview with Hayao Miyazaki
- Transcript of Roland Kelts full interview with Hayao Miyazaki (via GhibliWorld)
Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) backstage with Hayao Miyazaki at Berkeley event
Roland Kelts article in Adbusters: “Japanese Simplicity”
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Check out the latest article by Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, in AdBusters magazine, titled “Japanese Simplicity: The only way to leave a smaller footprint would be to die.”
Also stay tuned for Roland’s forthcoming novel titled “Access.”
Adbusters: “The Soul of Japan” by Roland Kelts
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Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, has an article in the August issue of Adbusters magazine addressing the long lineage of Japanese artists’ resistance to the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty and subsequent interdependence. With the elections looming on August 30th, perhaps this additional context will be of interest JET alum.
The Soul of Japan: Japan’s crisis is not political, but psychological
© hideaki kawashima | soak, 2004 | courtesy tomio koyama gallery, tokyo
https://www.adbusters.org/magazine/84/soul-japan.html
